Crash Landing
by Drama-Duchess
Summary: Ephram is alone and badly injured in a wreckage.
1. Caught Between The Moon & New York City

Disclaimer: As much as I would love to take all the credit for all the characters of E'wood, I can't. They don't belong to me. They are the brilliant spawns of the creators and we must all bow deeply to them for allowing us to manipulate their brainchildren.  
  
Author's Note: I'm experimenting with this new format of writing. It fluctuates between present time and flashback. I thought it would be an interesting attempt to write a story this way. Please, Please, Please let me know if this works and if you like it!! I want to take this moment to thank all of you (the fans - without you, I am nothing) profusely for reading and reviewing my work. I enjoy writing very much and it's extra special when I know there are people out there who dig my ideas. I'm touched by all your compliments and appreciate them immensely!! ~ Thanks!! ~  
  
Title: Crash Landing  
  
Chapter 1: Caught Between the Moon and New York City  
  
'They'll come for me. I know they will.' Ephram thought to himself optimistically trying desperately to remain calm. He figured it was a clever idea to trick his brain into thinking everything was alright. Maybe this way, he won't fall into shock as easily. He closed his eyes briefly to block all negative thoughts from his mind. Meditation always helped in his stressing moments but this was a different kind of stress. This kind of stress was more severe than the typical everyday drama of teenaged sagas. Remaining calm was a key issue here. His life depended on it.  
  
Inhaling and exhaling was a real challenge. It was hard to ignore the vicious pain pulsing in his skull. It was like a blacksmith hammering away on an anvil only instead of an anvil, it was his head. Funny he thought of it that way because it reminded him of the Verdi's Anvil Chorus from 'Il Trovatore', which depicted Spanish gypsies striking their anvils at dawn and singing praises of their strenuous yet rewarding life. The music embedded in his head and ran continuously in the discman of his mind. He found it morbidly amusing as he coordinated the striking sounds of the anvils to the pounding in his head. At least he wasn't passing out, though, he wished he had so the wrenching pain would go away. His attempt at drawing even a shallow breath put pressure on his rib cage.  
  
His sensations were heightened and magnified about a hundred times. He'd never been bombarded with such intense simultaneous feelings. It was more than he could handle. Ephram swallowed in hopes of producing spit to moisten his sweltering mouth. His taste buds allowed him a thick salty flavor with a hint of sweetness. It was the taste of his blood. He wasn't exactly sure if the blood he tasted was coming from the laceration on the side of his head or from his split lip. Either way, it was something wet and it quenched his thirst slightly for the time being. He finally opened his eyes to the reminder of his tight situation.  
  
It was impossible to move. He couldn't even wriggle his way out. A massive piece of twisted metal had him pinned against a cushioned chair from mid- chest down. His waist and lower body were completely immobile. The only part of him that was partially movable was his left arm. He was oblivious to the extent of his injuries but he knew he felt horrible and the pain was gradually spreading. Afraid to turn his head, he focused on the objects front of him. Carry-on bags and belongings were scattered among the soiled debris. Plastic chunks and broken glass littered the area in disarray. Mutilated seats were overturned and ripped from its original places. He strained his ears to listen for any type of movement or human sounds but there were none. There was only dead silence.  
  
It was dark. Night had come in a mad hurry. If it weren't for the moon, he would be in complete darkness. He was thankful for being able to see the moon from where he lay. The illumination from the crescent moon peeked occasionally thru the dark looming overcast. It penetrated through thin purplish clouds with beams of soft rays reflecting off the cracked glass like a beacon pointing down at Ephram. He treated the moonlight as a guide for his rescuer. Kind of like how lost hikers get a fire going to create smoke signals or shooting a flare into the sky in hopes of getting the attention of passing rescue helicopters. The moonlight was Ephram's SOS for help. There was nothing else he could rely on.  
  
The piece of metal weighed heavily on his chest making it difficult to draw air into his lungs. At one point, he even tried to push the metal off but he lacked the strength. The tension in his back prohibited him from any further noble tries. A scent of fuel and rust circled the air around him. Combustion and old metal was not the cause of this distinctive rusty smell. It was the smell of fresh blood. Probably his blood, since it was so strong and biting.  
  
Blood trickled from his head wound down his right cheek. He felt the sticky wet liquid drip pass his eyes and onto his lips as he licked it. His head was reeling and spinning. His eyes couldn't stay focused anymore so he closed them. He let out a soft groan hoping someone would miraculously hear it and come save him. He tried to think positive but it was hard when it seemed hopeless.  
  
'Don't give up. Dad wouldn't want me to give up.' Ephram coached himself. He wondered if his life was going to end in this slow torturous death being crushed under heavy debris while having the air gradually sucked out of his lungs. He thought about his family or what was left of his family. If he should die tonight, what would happen to them? Would his father pick up Delia and move again? He figured this time, they'd move to Europe. It's supposed to be nice in London this time of year. Or maybe move to somewhere closer like Canada. 'I shouldn't be thinking this way.' Ephram thought. 'But what if.'  
  
There were too many doubts in Ephram's mind. It was easy to let his imagination take control. He fantasized about his father leading a band of rescue workers - policemen, firemen, rangers, medical personnel, and you name it - to come get him out of this mess. They would scour the entire area with flashlights and bloodhounds and communicated over radio headsets to advise each other of the land they covered. But ultimately, it would be his father who finds him trapped under the metal. His father would lift the piece of metal off his chest effortlessly and take him into his healing arms. Everything was alright. He would be safe. Ephram knew he was only lying to himself in this daydream.  
  
He cursed himself for leaving New York. He cursed himself for returning to Everwood. If he hadn't come back, he would never have been in this predicament. But he had to go back. As much as he missed New York, Everwood was his home now and his father and sister were there. It wouldn't be right to break the promise to his father of returning after a lengthy vacation in New York. This vacation back did him good. The stress and frustrations disappeared. He lived with his grandparents during his entire stay and they were delighted to have him. He even got to appreciate all the good things he's missed, especially walking in Times Square at night. Neon and chrome signs tacked onto every square inch reaching the sky. It's said that one hasn't really seen Times Square until he's seen it at night. And it is so true.  
  
The ambiance was intoxicating. And it must be something extraordinary if travelers came from all over the world to see this captivating display of advertisement and what it had to offer. On every block you had your variety of street musicians - everything from the tropical sounds of Jamaican steel drums to the mellow tones of Incas mountain music to the synchronized drumming of plastic buckets. There were portrait artists on every corner busily sketching away on their subjects. Of course, who could miss the Naked Singing Cowboy taking his place in front of Duffy Square. He gave the female tourists a reason for a Kodak moment. Decked out in nothing but a pair of white underwear, cowboy boots, and a cowboy hat, the chiseled, blond long-haired Naked Singing Cowboy stands strumming his guitar gaining all the attention he wants all seasons of the year. Ephram always found it amazing how the guy could stand there half naked in 30 degrees weather and not get hypothermia.  
  
Ephram enjoyed watching the reactions of the people experiencing Times Square for the first time with their eyes lighting up at the mere spectacle of marketing strategy. It was just a great feeling to be amongst that crowd. He smiled at the mental picture.  
  
A sudden fierce stab of pain shot up his back and brought him back to reality. The jabbing pain in his chest throbbed as the metal continued to crush his ribs. He kept his eyes shut and thought of his favorite billboard in Times Square - the giant Coca-Cola bottle way on top of the Olive Garden Restaurant right across the street from the TKTS booth. He imagined the straw popping out from the top of the bottle and glowing brown lights made it appear like its contents were being sipped out.  
  
'Please help me, God. Or let me die. I'm in so much pain. I don't want to suffer anymore.' Ephram prayed. All he could do now was wait.  
  
The bright red, white and brown lights of the comforting Coca-Cola billboard swirled in the darkness of his closed eyes as he lost consciousness.  
  
* end of chapter 1 * 


	2. Small World

Chapter 2: Small World  
  
Ephram sauntered down the long tiled halls of the General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee in search of the gate to his connecting flight to Denver. He checked his boarding pass for the gate number. It read D39. He leveraged his backpack on his shoulder and continued walking.  
  
It was unthinkable that the time he spent in New York went by so quickly. He wished he were still there as opposed to heading "home." New York held many fond memories. Everwood held none. But he had made a promise to his father that he would return to the picturesque town after being granted this generous prolonged summer vacation. He remembered the sentimental good- byes with his grandparents when they dropped him off at La Guardia Airport in New York. The three of them were reduced to a blubbery mess by the time all the hugs and words were exchanged. He was already missing his grandparents terribly.  
  
Why did Everwood have to be so far away? Ephram felt like he had moved to the other side of the world or better yet, to another planet. It was a place that was barren of friends, extended family, and familiar places. He was a true city boy. In the city, he could easily blend in with the crowd and remain anonymous. He could just fade into the pavement if he so desired. No one gave two cents what you did. It was called "keeping your nose clean." Mind your business and trouble won't start following you. Ephram never had a problem with it. He actually liked it this way. Small towns were tight-knit communities were everyone knew everyone else's business. If you got a new porch swing, the whole town's talking about it. If you got into an argument with your neighbor, everyone knew the details. If you got sick, everyone brings over homemade versions of their chicken soup. If your pet goldfish died, they knew how you disposed of it. If you picked your nose, they knew how big the booger was. News and gossip traveled at the speed of light. He hated the suffocation. He was not used to being examined like a specimen under a microscope. He wanted to disappear into the woodwork. He once heard a saying 'lost in the city - found in a small town.' It was vice versa for Ephram. He's never felt so lost in his entire life. And he was returning to that very place.  
  
Ephram found his gate and proceeded into the waiting area of Midwest Airlines flight number 4. He scoped out the area. Aside for a few business types with cell phones permanently glued to their ears chatting away on important calls, it seemed pretty empty for midday. He remembered a time when airports used to be packed with travelers. 'Ah, I get the seat of my choice. How sweet,' he thought humorously looking around for a place to sit. He passed several rows of plastic chairs and took the sixth seat away from the window. All he had with him was his trusty backpack. He was what they called a "light traveler." There was no need for additional luggage since everything he needed was in New York. Besides, it was a hassle checking in baggage. He dropped his backpack onto the chair next to him. With plenty of time to kill before his flight, he plugged his headphones into his ears, closed his eyes, and zoned out. He was dead to the world when he had his music blasting in his ears. It didn't matter what he listened to - whether it was Snoop Dogg or Led Zeppelin, Celine Dion or Kenny G, Strauss or Pachelbel, Bocelli or Bolero, it was his way of escaping. He tuned the world out and let his spirit soar in music.  
  
He must've been zoned out for quite some time because when he re-opened his eyes, he found the scenery had changed quite a bit. There were a few more people walking about in the hall - probably from an arriving flight nearby. The hum of conversation had increased along with the thudding of rolling suitcases pulled by vacationers and business people alike. The giggling and whining of restless children were heard somewhere but not seen. He lowered the volume on his MP3 player and gazed at the large blue sign above the courtesy desk - "Flight 4 to Denver departing 3:25pm." It was depressing just looking at it. His heart ached to be back in the city that never sleeps. Then his gaze found it's way to an interesting subject.  
  
He noticed a girl sitting in the seat adjacent to him. She wore khaki clam- digger pants and a slim olive tank top with the letters "S.N.A.F.U." printed in white stencil on the front. Her luggage consisted of a small, wheeled upright carry-on. Apparently, she was traveling by herself since Ephram hadn't noticed anyone else with her. She had long jet-black hair with a few streaks of red highlights and appeared to be the same age as Ephram. She sat with her left ankle under her right knee exhibiting her clean gray Sketcher sneakers. Slouching forward with elbows on her knees, she was completely engulfed in the book in her hands. On her lap was a big bag of strawberry Twizzlers. Whatever she was reading must've been very deep since she had not looked up once. She nibbled slowly on a Twizzler with her nose buried in the book.  
  
Ephram tilted his head for a glimpse at the book title. It read "Franz Kafka - The Sons." He raised an impressive eye.  
  
"You know, you might turn into a giraffe with all that neck stretching." The girl said without looking up from her book.  
  
"Sorry. I didn't mean to stare." Ephram reddened. He removed his earplugs.  
  
"You've been staring for quite some time now." She remarked. "Kafka." She said raising her book so the front cover was visible.  
  
"So I see. Which one are you on?" Ephram asked. The girl had an exotic face. A face that was both beautiful and mysterious at the same time. It captivated Ephram tremendously. She reminded him of a wildcat.  
  
"Finished 'The Stoker' and almost done with 'The Metamorphosis'." She replied. "Know anything 'bout Kafka?" She asked.  
  
"Maybe." Ephram's eyes danced.  
  
"What's your take on Gregor's transformation?" She challenged.  
  
"Well, I think alienation plays a good part in it. If you noticed, the guy never leaves his room at all. By locking himself up in his room, he distances himself from other human beings. Gregor set barriers between himself and those around him including his family. He's totally isolated from all human contact. He's alienated from his job, family, humanity and life in general. Sometimes, kinda like me. Gregor's so caught up in his solitude that he doesn't even realize he's turned into a roach." He stated as the girl listened attentively.  
  
"An insect. Not necessarily a roach." She corrected. "Twizzler?" She offered him the bag. Ephram leaned forward and took a few sticks.  
  
"Ah, but coming from a New Yorker, it's considered a roach." He said with a smile. "Anyway, did you check out the way his family treated him when he couldn't support them anymore? They neglected him and treated him like dirt. Gregor tried so desperately to rebuild his self-identity he lost by living entirely for the sole purpose of others. So much that he ignored his own needs." He explained while chewing on a Twizzler.  
  
"It's like the story with my dad. Being a doctor, he's spent his whole life performing miracles for strangers, when meanwhile he doesn't even know he neglected the most important part of his life - his kids." Ephram blurted. 'Good going, Brown. Try to impress the girl by boring the hell out of her with your personal problems.' He thought to himself wishing he could take back what he said.  
  
He was about to apologize when the girl cut him off. "No, it's ok. I understand where you're coming from. I agree with you on dehumanization. But I see the change as a form of escapism. The poor guy had so much expected of him. His job was priority and like you said - when he wasn't capable of going to work and supplying an income for his family, they resented him. It was like a prison. In a way, his room was his prison. So, he turns into a bug to escape from reality. He dreaded everyday life being enslaved by his job and by his family. He did things out of necessity not desire. If he had his way, he could just quit his job and be free. It's like that Queen song - I Want To Break Free. How does it go?" The girl racked her brain for the words. "I want to break free from your lies, you're so self-satisfied, I don't need you." She recited.  
  
"I don't want to live alone. Oh, God knows, I've got to make it on my own. So baby, can't you see, I've got to break free." Ephram half sang and half recited the verse.  
  
"You know it!" The girl squealed in surprise as Ephram blushed. "Yea, sometimes I wish I can break free too. I always feel things are holding me back." She continued.  
  
"I hear ya. It's like I'm living in a castle surrounded by a moat with alligators swimming around snapping their jaws at me every time I attempt to step over." Ephram sighed sympathetically.  
  
"I know exactly what you mean. Maybe we have a lot more in common than we think!" She declared with a coy grin. "What's your name?"  
  
"It's Ephram. Ephram Brown." He said holding out a hand for a handshake. "I know what you're thinking. You're probably thinking my dumb-ass name sounds a sneeze. Am I right?" He added seeing the girl's quizzical facial expression as he said his name.  
  
"No." She snickered. "I was going for unique and original. Word of advice - never try to guess what a girl's thinking." She shook his hand. "The name's Juliana Lee. Friends call me Jewels - as in diamonds, rubies, precious gems, that sort of thing."  
  
"What a coincidence. My mom's name was Julia." He said.  
  
"Was?"  
  
"She died in a car wreck about two years ago."  
  
"Hey, I'm sorry."  
  
"It's ok. So, can I ask you a question?" He said changing the subject. She nodded. "On your shirt, what does the letters S, N, A, F, U stand for?" He asked pointing to her tank top.  
  
"Oh! Don't you know? It's military lingo. Stands for Situation Normal All Fucked Up. It's the complete meaning of my life. Just when you think you've got it good, life throws you a curveball and then the shit really hits the fan. It's depressing. But I don't want to bore you with my complicated problems." She said.  
  
"I'm beginning to like you already!! I need one of those shirts. That describes my life perfectly too." He joked.  
  
"I guess we've both got a little bit of Gregor Samsa in us." Jewels marveled. "Where ya headed?"  
  
"Connecting flight to Denver. You?"  
  
"Connecting flight to Kansas City." She thumbed the neighboring gate. "So, what's in Denver?"  
  
"Home."  
  
"You live in Denver?"  
  
"Not exactly. I live in a small town a few hours away from Denver. I'll bet you've never heard of it. It's not even on the map. The place is called Everwood."  
  
"Ha, you'd be surprised. I know where Everwood is. It's just a couple miles from Chestnut Point." She laughed. "I've visited Everwood before."  
  
"You have?!" Ephram exclaimed. "Wow. You're the first person I've met that have actually been to the place!!"  
  
"Yea well, don't get all excited. We were just passing thru. Stopped for gas. That was it. Nice cozy little town."  
  
"Where you from?" Ephram inquired.  
  
"New York. Can't you tell?" She smirked. Ephram felt as though he had found his soul mate.  
  
"New York?! Really? So am I." Ephram squealed. "What borough?"  
  
"Brooklyn - Mill Basin area."  
  
"Manhattan." He said proudly. "Upper West Side."  
  
"Ah! Rich kid. Should've known." She kidded.  
  
"You live in Kansas City?"  
  
"No, just visiting an aunt. It's a funny thing because she lives in Kansas and her first name's Margaret. So naturally, I call her aunty M, but as in the letter. I think she's destined to live in Kansas." She chuckled. "But MY home is in New York. There's no place like home. No pun intended."  
  
"Right. I was visiting my grandparents in New York and now I have to go back to the middle of nowhere. I don't care what my dad says, I'm coming back to New York for the holidays."  
  
"Hey, if you're ever in the neighborhood again, look me up. Maybe we can hang out. See a show or go rollerblading or something." Jewels suggested nonchalantly. "Why do you look so surprised? Is it so unnatural for a girl to ask a guy out?" She said after noticing the astonished look on his face.  
  
"Oh, no. Uh. Not at all." Ephram stammered. "I'm just shocked that someone so smart and cool would want to hang out with boring ol' me."  
  
Ephram was ecstatic with joy. She's intelligent, gutsy and tough as nails. Mix in a pinch of New York attitude, and you've got Jewels. Jewels was definitely different than other girls. She wasn't fluffy at all. He liked the fact that she's fearless. There was also something enigmatic about her - something mystique and worth exploring. He wanted to understand her but she was like a jigsaw puzzle - only revealing small bits and pieces at a time. She was not an open book.  
  
"Flatterer." She teased. "You're not boring. You're intriguingly cryptic. I like that. And you've passed my coolness monitor with flying colors. Man, you don't give yourself enough credit."  
  
"Ladies and gentlemen, Flight 12 to Kansas City is now boarding. Those of you in seats 10 and higher may board the plane. Please have your boarding passes and ID cards handy. Thank you." A woman announced professionally over the PA.  
  
"Oh, that's my flight." Jewels said gathering her things. "So, do I take it as a yes?" She questioned Ephram.  
  
"Yea - of course!" He confirmed. 'Dorkus, don't screw this up. Ask for her phone number,' Ephram thought while trying to muster up the courage to ask.  
  
"Good! Here is my email address and cell phone number." She spoke as she scribbled away on the first page of her Kafka book. "My aunt doesn't own a computer, so I won't be able to check email until I get back to New York, which would be in 3 weeks. But call me any time on the cell." She tore the page out of the binding and handed it to Ephram along with her pen. "Now, I don't give without getting something in return." She smiled.  
  
Ephram carefully tore the piece of paper in half and jot down his info. He tried to make his writing as readable as possible since he was known for his messy penmanship. He handed the paper and pen back to Jewels. She read it approvingly and slipped it between the pages of her book.  
  
"It was really nice meeting you, Juliana." Ephram said as he stood up.  
  
"It's Jewels. We're friends now. Call me Jewels. Only teachers call me by my full name." She laughed.  
  
"OK, Jewels then. It was nice talking to you." Ephram grinned. "Have a good flight."  
  
"Listen, I know what it's like to feel hopeless 'n lonely out there all on your own. Ya think no one understands, but there is life beyond the bubble. The world is a bigger place when you know you have a friend." Jewels said eyeing Ephram as she fumbled with her boarding pass. "Call me anytime. No, I take that back. Ephram, I'm gonna expect you to call me. A girl like me don't take no for an answer." She poked him in the shoulder playfully.  
  
"I will." He said. How could someone whom he's only known for one hour understand him so well? Was he that obvious? Or was she just good at figuring people out? He felt a connection with this girl.  
  
"Well, I'm off. See ya 'round!" She started pulling her rolling suitcase.  
  
"Jewels!" Ephram said as she turned around. "I'll call you. I promise."  
  
"Sure. Keep in touch and take care!" Jewels smiled back.  
  
Ephram watched her disappear into the exit. He sank into his seat and stared at the piece of paper Jewels had given to him. His lips were smiling so much his face hurt. He was no longer depressed. Things were starting to look up.  
  
* end of chapter 2 * 


	3. Lost And Found

Chapter 3: Lost And Found  
  
A frigid breeze whisked through the broken bent window waking him from his sleep. The cold air sent a shiver down his spine. Since the moon hadn't moved, he knew he couldn't have been unconscious a long time. He wondered why no one had come for him yet. Perhaps no one knew where he was and what happened. 'No, dad knows where I am. He'll come for me. He has to.' Ephram thought.  
  
The pounding in his head continued to torment him. He was beginning to feel numb from the coldness of the night wind. The twisted metal refused to budge as he gave another attempt to push it off his body. The more he tried, the weaker he became. Eventually, he gave in and accepted being pinned down. His body felt stiff and lifeless. The circulation in his body had slowed down and he needed to keep the flow going.  
  
The window above him had not been completely obliterated. The lines of the cracked glass resembled a tangled spider web. In the origin of the crack was a dark massive smear of dried blood. The blood belonged to him. He felt like he was the fly trapped in this web. It was the very spot Ephram's head had been smashed against. Seeing all the blood frightened him. He turned his head away.  
  
Ephram remembered his left arm was free from being pinned. Something dark and wet caught his attention as he pulled his left hand closer to his body in hopes of preventing his fingers from turning blue from the cold. A deep gash covered about 4 inches below the bent of his elbow. Blood had hemorrhaged and ran down to his fingertips. He couldn't figure out why he hadn't felt the pain. It certainly looked painful enough. He studied the cut and noticed several lumpy foreign particles mixed in with his blood. It was hard to tell what it was in the limelight, but he convinced himself it was just broken glass and not splintered bone fragments. Nothing to get worried about. He told himself it was just a big paper cut.  
  
Why hadn't he heard any movement or groans from other passengers? Was he the only one who survived? Were the others dead? The silence was deafening. Suddenly, fear sneaked up and consumed him whole. It wasn't entirely the pain that scared him so. What if he really had been the only survivor? The idea of him lying amongst the dead freaked him out. He wanted to holler on the top of his lungs for help but his voice only came out in a strained whimper. He was barely audible within a few feet.  
  
He didn't want to die. But maybe it was better if he did. It was difficult to remain patient and calm when his ribs were snapping one by one like twigs in his chest cavity. He pictured the protruding bones puncturing his lungs and letting him die a stagnant agonizing death. A few tears rolled down his cheeks. 'Mom, help me.' He prayed with closed eyes and dozed off in exhaustion.  
  
The clamor of muffled human voices woke him. He realized he wasn't hallucinating when he saw beams from flashlights swinging back and forth in the darkness of the woods. 'I'm in here. I'm here.' He wanted to shout. He listened as the voices grew louder and louder. The buzz of chain saws and clanking of sledgehammers against the metal shell irritated Ephram's ears. Even though the sounds were far in the distant, it felt like massive construction going on in his brain. On the verge of losing consciousness, a nauseous feeling developed in the pit of his stomach. His head spun in a fury. 'No - don't pass out. Not now. They're here.' He commanded himself.  
  
He heard shouts and thumping of rescue workers entering the interior. They were creating a ruckus in hoisting out bodies in the front. Ephram's lips trembled hoping they would search the back of the interior where he was located.  
  
"Help me." His voice came out as a sigh. Nearby, someone turned over debris noisily that was blocking the way. The flicker of flashlights danced aimlessly at the rubble. Then a round light beamed at his eyes blinding him. He turned his head away from the glaring light and groaned.  
  
"There's someone back here!" The man yelled to the others. "Son, can you hear me?" He said inspecting Ephram's situation.  
  
"Help me.Please." Ephram begged breathlessly. "I'm stuck."  
  
"It's ok. We're going to get you out. Just hang tight." The man said to Ephram. "Hey Tony, get the saw here. Need some light too. Now!" He yelled to someone in the front.  
  
"Hey. Hey, son. You have to stay with me." The man shook Ephram gently on the shoulder when he saw the boy's eyes flutter. "I know you can't breathe too good right now, but you gotta hang on. Ok?"  
  
Ephram focused on his rescuer. It was too dark to place the voice with a face. The rescuer wore a hard hat - the kind people used in construction sites. He was only able to see a beam of light coming from the floodlight. And his rescuer did him the favor of stop shining the damn thing directly into his eyes.  
  
Tony came with the chain saw and a large electric lamp. He set the lamp down on a leveled part of the ground and turned it on. The cool fluorescent light illuminated the area instantly. Ephram squinted and blinked to get accustomed to the bright light.  
  
"Oh my God! The kid's drenched in blood." Tony observed and cringed at the sight of the gore. "We need a medic on standby!!" He yelled in the other direction.  
  
After an unsuccessful try to lift the metal off Ephram, they surveyed the position. They agreed on a strategy to saw the twisted metal in half making the weight of the piece lighter to elevate. Ephram watched Tony start the chain saw. Tony was a hefty, built man in his thirties with a well-defined jaw line. Sweat had pasted his dark hair against his tanned face. Grease marks were smudged on his cheeks and forearms. His intimidating biceps bulged as he took control of the saw. The work had begun but it was a slow process. The metal was thick and heavy.  
  
Ephram was holding on for dear life. For a split second he had forgotten where he was. His awareness was gradually slipping. The loud drone of the saw didn't irritate him anymore. It turned into a comforting sound - equivalent to sound of rain beating against the windowpane. It made him drowsy. The first man kept shaking him each time he closed his eyes. A few other rescue workers had arrived at the scene to help but the space was only limited to allowing two people at a time. Ephram heard their voices shouting pensive instructions to each other.  
  
"You'll be alright, son. We'll have you out in no time." The man told him when the saw was turned off. "Tony, you wanna speed it up." He said to Tony, who was now prying the metal loose with a crowbar.  
  
"Sure Wayne. Workin' on it." Tony puffed.  
  
"Got a name, son?" Wayne asked.  
  
"Eph - Ephram." Ephram answered in a mumble.  
  
"There you go, son." Wayne said turning back to Ephram. Another man handed Wayne a blanket. Wayne pulled the flannel blanket over Ephram covering him up to the neck. "Nasty bump on the head you got there." Wayne said as he wiped the blood with a cloth.  
  
A bump on the head? It was more like someone taking a swing at his head with a machete. Ephram swallowed the lump in his throat and tasted more blood. He felt the piece of metal loosening up and tried to squirm his way out from underneath. The thought never occurred to Ephram that Wayne was actually holding up the metal piece to keep it from collapsing on top of him while Tony sawed the other side.  
  
"No, son. Don't move. You have to stay still. We'll get you out." Wayne reassured. Ephram obeyed weakly.  
  
Wayne was a yellow-haired middle-aged man silvering at the temples. His blond moustache curled up at the ends. The wrinkles around his eyes creased each time he smiled. He was a dead ringer for Colonel Mustard from the Clue board game. All he needed was a safari hat and a pipe. Ephram found the image of being saved by Colonel Mustard amusing and a tiny crack of a smile came across his swollen lips.  
  
"Smiling now, huh? Do you find me funny looking?" Wayne humored. Ephram's droopy eyelids wanted to close. The saw squeaked in his ears. Paganini's Caprice no. 5 came into his head. The intense pitch of the sawing reflected sounds of fast violin strings being pulled. He manipulated the sounds of the saw and imagined it to be music. It was beautiful like a sweet lullaby.  
  
"Son - don't bail out now. We're so close to getting this thing off you." Wayne said giving Ephram another shake. Ephram was tired and wanted to sleep. 'Why can't Colonel Mustard just leave me alone and let me sleep?' Ephram thought.  
  
"At-a-boy. Look at me, son. Look." Wayne tried to get the boy's attention. 'Quit calling me 'son'. I'm not your son.' Ephram thought with annoyance. Ephram needed toothpicks to keep his eyes open. Sleep deprived, he wasn't sure how much longer he could stay awake.  
  
* end of chapter 3 * 


	4. The Friendly Skies

Chapter 4: The Friendly Skies  
  
He couldn't get over the fact that a pretty girl had asked him out. She asked HIM of all people. Things like this don't happen. At least not to him it didn't. He always had the dark rain clouds hovering over his head. Luck never went his way. He felt like he hit the jackpot.  
  
He stuffed his backpack into the overhead bin and took window seat 24A in the rear of the small DC9 airplane. He took out the piece of paper Jewels had written her phone number on and stared at it. The word "Franz Kafka" had been torn in half. He had the "FRA" and "KAF". Beside the tear, was the word "Jewels" in large neat block lettering. Underneath it were the words "SoBiteMe@hotmail.com". Ephram smiled at her clever email address. Beneath the email address, was her cell phone number scribbled neatly.  
  
Ephram held this valuable piece of paper in his hands until the stewardess announced the flight would be taking off momentarily. He folded the paper neatly into a square and tucked it safely into his wallet. The flight attendant did the usual spiel about the carry-ons in the overhead bin, the tray being locked in the up-right position, look at the seat belt sign, and all that crap about what to do if the plane should need to perform an emergency crash landing. I mean, what was the chance of that happening to this plane?  
  
He watched the stewardess demonstrate how to attach the oxygen mask in the event that it should be needed. Ephram found it interesting to watch the stewardess act out the procedures as another one described them in small planes such as this. In the bigger planes, they just showed a video and that would be it. This was like a mini-show and quite entertaining. And Ephram listed to every one of them. He was probably the only one on the entire plane who paid attention. I mean, it was fascinating how the seats could turn into floatation devices.  
  
When the instructions were done, Ephram looked out the window as the plane taxied on the runway. In about two hours and 43 minutes, he would be landing in Denver International Airport. Home was where the heart should be. His bitter feelings on returning to Everwood had lightened. He's spoken to his father and Delia on the phone but he hadn't seen them in a month. There was a reason for going back. He secretly missed them.  
  
The plane was fairly empty with just a scatter of passengers amongst the plane. He got two seats to himself. A female flight attendant came by to check that everyone's seat beat had been fastened. She smiled at Ephram when she saw that he was traveling by himself. Ephram smiled back. She was wearing her spotless navy MidWest Airlines stewardess uniform. Her nametag read "Judy". She was about 40-ish with natural blond hair gelled into a bun behind the nape of her neck. Ephram thought she had a motherly-Evita-look about her. She was very well polished.  
  
Ephram closed his eyes as the plane took off. It was the most thrilling part of the whole ride. He felt the plane gain velocity and a light thump shook the cabin as it took flight. He liked the rush and the pumping of blood in his veins. It was the same feeling he got when he rode roller coasters. As a young boy, he intensely disliked going on roller coasters. You couldn't even bribe him to go on one. He was terrified of them. But ever since the death of his mother, he found a budding interest in fast rides. Before moving to Everwood - that half a year pause - he spent most of his weekends at amusement parks with friends. He relished the fastest and most frightening coasters. It became an obsession. No one understood. Going 90 miles an hour was the only way he could forget about how much he hurt inside. With hair standing on end and having the wits scared out of him, all his troubles seemed to disappear. It was his escape. Not even his father knew. His father just thought all teenagers naturally liked roller coasters.  
  
When the seat belt sign went off, he unbuckled his seat belt. He flipped through the Airline magazine but for some reason, he just couldn't concentrate on reading it. He placed it back into the slot.  
  
"Kid, you by yourself?" Ephram heard a voice say. He turned his head and spotted an amiable heavy-set man sitting across the aisle from him.  
  
"No actually, I came with my imaginary friend." Ephram retorted trying to be a wise-ass. "He's in the john right now."  
  
"I always travel alone. I'm a salesman." The man said. "But I vowed myself to strike up a conversation with at least one person on every flight."  
  
The man was nearly bald except for a few strands of hair combed over in attempt to cover the balding spot. He wore a white dress shirt and black pants held up by suspenders.  
  
"Lucky me." Ephram said.  
  
"George is the name and selling kitchen utensils is my game." The man said. "So, you got a girlfriend?"  
  
"What? Me? No, not really." Ephram said nervously. This guy was getting creepy.  
  
"I saw the way you were looking all starry-eyed at that piece of paper. Thought it might be her phone number." George said.  
  
Ephram didn't know he was being spied on the whole time my Mr. Nosy here. His common sense told him to not speak to this person anymore. He may be a pervert or something.  
  
"When I was your age, I drove all the girls wild. I used to be a hot catch you know. Until life happened and then you get fat and bald. I was captain of the football team back in the day. Say, do you play football?" George reminisced.  
  
"Nope." Ephram said hoping the guy would lose interest.  
  
"Well you should start." George replied. "You know, the best part about this flight is the freshly baked chocolate chip cookies."  
  
Ephram was well aware of the signature chocolate chip cookies they served on MidWest Airlines. It was the highlight of the flight. They claim to bake the cookies on-board the plane and distribute them all hot and gooey. Ephram had done his calculations. There are 108 seats on the plane, which means if everyone got two cookies, they would have to bake 216 cookies within 30 minutes after take off. In a small plane like this, there was no oven big enough to bake 216 cookies with a 4" diameter simultaneously. He came to the conclusion that the cookies were pre-made and "nuked" in the microwave so it had that right-out-of-the-oven sensation. There was no way that all 216 cookies could be baked from raw dough in 30 minutes.  
  
"You don't talk much do ya, kid?" George noticed.  
  
"Sorry, I'm just tired. Had a long day. Don't take it personal, but I'd like to get some sleep right now." Ephram answered.  
  
"Sure, right! No problem there. Sleep tight." He smiled and shifted his attention to a woman sitting diagonally to his seat.  
  
'Seesh,' Ephram thought. 'This gave a whole new outlook to the term - traveling salesman. This dude was no Harold Hill,' Ephram noted. He leaned his head back on the seat and looked out the window hole.  
  
The moving cumulus clouds beneath him looked like an endless sea of white soapy foam squishing back and forth. 'Ah, so this is what an inside of a washing machine looks like,' he thought and grinned at his own joke. There was something calming about being in the clouds. He felt free and let his mind wander. He thought about his father. OK, so his father had never been the perfect parent but at least he was trying. After all, he had allowed him to go on this trip to New York for an entire month un-chaperoned. His father trusted him. Lately, he's been there for him and made him feel like he was worth something. Ephram regret all the times he acted like a pain in the ass. He wished he could take it all back. He only did it out of spite - to deliberately piss off his father and make him pop a blood vessel. He made a mental note to call him the minute he landed. After the filling snack of chocolate chip cookies and ginger ale, he slept.  
  
He was abruptly awoken from his nice nap by a rough jolt that shook the entire cabin. The seat belt sign blinked on. He looked out the window and watched the aileron on the plane's left wing as the plane dipped and banked several times. They seem to be loosing altitude. It felt like as if you were in a dropping elevator. Your stomach and your head traded places. The captain's husky voice came over the speaker and advised everyone that everything was fine. They were just experiencing some heavy turbulence - nothing to be worried about. The sudden violent rock of the plane harrowed Ephram's nerves. He couldn't help getting a paranoid feeling that there was something the good captain wasn't telling them. He clutched the hand rests of his seat and closed his eyes tightly.  
  
* end of chapter 4 * 


	5. The Color Of Despair

Chapter 5: The Color Of Despair  
  
As Tony finished sawing through the metal debris, Ephram let out a bone- chilling shriek of pain as the metal rubbish Wayne was supporting shifted and applied pressure to Ephram's ribcage.  
  
"Hold it. Damn it. Hold it!" Wayne mentioned to Tony to sustain leverage. Tony scrambled to keep the remaining piece from collapsing on the victim.  
  
Ephram coughed as Wayne and Tony exerted themselves in pulling off the metal with all their might. They heaved and grunted. A third man came in through one side of the newly demolished walls of the interior. He joined Wayne and Tony in preventing the debris from further crushing Ephram. Together, they shoved the remaining metal successfully off the boy.  
  
"Don't move him. He may have a spinal injury. Get the medics in here." Wayne instructed as he watched the poor unconscious boy's frail broken body lie there amid the ruin covered in his own blood. Ephram shuddered from the cold air. Wayne covered the boy with the flannel blanket and demanded to know what was taking the medics so long.  
  
A medic attached an extricating collar on Ephram's neck to immobilize his head and keep his neck vertebrae straight until they knew for sure what injuries he sustained. Two other medics slid Ephram carefully onto an orange backboard. Ephram let out a fierce cough and spewed out a small amount of blood. This got all the medics worried. Ephram was covered with so much fresh and dried blood that it was difficult to tell whether he vomited the blood or if the blood was from the deep cut on his lip. Either way they strapped him in a hurry and carefully carried the board to a gurney that was waiting outside. Wayne walked with the medics.  
  
"Dad." Ephram moaned with eyes shut. "Dad." He sobbed weakly as Wayne shook his head in pity.  
  
"Did you give him something for the pain?" Wayne asked one of the medics.  
  
"I gave him 10 mgs of morphine. The dosage should hold him until we get to the hospital." The medic replied. Wayne turned to Ephram.  
  
"It's gonna be alright." Wayne said and took a hold of Ephram's bloody hand in comfort. "Geez, the boy's hand is cold as ice!!" Wayne exclaimed as he wrapped the blanket tighter around Ephram's body. "Hope the kid makes it."  
  
*** Andy's Arrival ***  
  
Flashing red and blue lightbars atop emergency vehicles were parked in hurried disarray. Yellow police line barricade tape blocked the area alerting any non-emergency service personnel to stay away from the contained area. Andy bolted out of his car and headed towards the sounds of shouting men. He came to a halt on top of the cliff and looked down to view the scene. Observing the emergency response teams swarming around the now well-lit area, Andy's heart sank as he took note of the ruins. The shape of the craft had been contorted and reduced to a big scrap of rubbish. He watched the medics rush bodies into ambulances and craned his neck to see if his son was anywhere. His attention was drawn away from the rolling stretchers to a car with thick black bold letters etched on the side. It read "Coroner". He saw several zipped up black body bags being dragged into the vehicle.  
  
'Oh dear God no. Please don't let Ephram be in one of those bags.' Andy prayed with tears welling in his eyes from fear. He frantically looked around for anyone to inquire about his son. Apparently, everyone was busy doing intricate duties, so Andy ducked under the yellow tape and approached the first policeman he saw.  
  
"Sir, you can't come here. You're going to have to step behind the tape." The young police officer commanded.  
  
"I'm looking for my son. He was in there. I have to know where he is." Andy stammered. "Have you seen him? He's 15 years old, about 5'6", short dark hair. His name's Ephram."  
  
"Sorry. I'm not certain about anyone matching that description. But I'm going to have to ask you again to step behind the tape. This is a disaster area. No civilians allowed here." The officer ordered.  
  
"Please, I have to know if my son is alright. If you can't help me, please direct me to someone who can." Andy begged. "I just want to know if he's alive." His voice shook in desperation.  
  
Upon seeing the despair of this father searching for his son, the police officer softened up. "Hey Anderson!" The officer called to his colleague a few feet away. "You know if a 15 year old boy was found in that rubbish?" He asked as Anderson walked over.  
  
"No. Not that I know of." Anderson shrugged.  
  
"This here is the kid's father." The police officer said thumbing Andy. Anderson glanced over and saw the solemn look on Andy's face.  
  
"Let me ask D'Angelis. He was working the interior. Maybe he's heard something." Anderson suggested. "I'll be right back."  
  
Andy watched Anderson converse with D'Angelis impatiently. A few other men joined the twosome and they all seemed to glance back in Andy's direction occasionally as they talked. Andy wished he could hear what they were saying. Eventually, Anderson came back to Andy's spot.  
  
"They haven't heard anything about a 15 year old boy. But I told them to ask around. We'll know something soon." Anderson said.  
  
"You don't understand. I have to know where he is." Andy looked alternately at the police officer and Anderson. They just stood there not knowing what to say. He wasn't going to wait or let these people stand in his way of finding Ephram. Tears enveloped him.  
  
"Ephram!!!! Ephram!!!!!!!" Andy hollered sprinting passed the two men. "Where are you Ephram??? Ephram!!!" His voice echoed.  
  
"Sir!! Please. You mustn't go there. We have orders." The young officer called and ran after Andy.  
  
Andy stopped running as he approached the front of the craft. He spotted something shiny in the dirt. It appeared to be a silver compact flat-shaped device. Recognizing it, he dropped down on his knees and picked it up. It was Ephram's MP3 player. Noticing dried bloodstains speckled on the cover, he burst out sobbing as he cradled the broken machine in his arms.  
  
"No. Ephram. No. It can't be this way. No." Andy mumbled thru heavy sighs. The police officer and Anderson finally caught up with Andy. Instead of escorting Andy out of the area immediately, they decided to let him have a few moments seeing how emotional Andy had become. They were dedicated men of authority but they were also human. Sympathy was something all normal humans possess.  
  
"Excuse me, sir?" A voice said. Andy looked up and noticed a yellow-haired man with a curly mustache addressing him. The man was wiping his bloody fingers off on an already blood-soaked cloth. "My name's Wayne Frasier. I hear you're looking for a 15 year old boy?"  
  
Andy's ears perked up and he quickly got up from the ground. "Yes, my son."  
  
"I'm not sure if he's your boy. But we found a 15 year old male that fits the description - green-gray eyes, about 5'6", dark hair, a skinny kid. Does the name Epron or F-ram mean anything to you?" Wayne began.  
  
"Ephram! That's him. My son's name is Ephram." Andy interrupted. "Where is he? Is he alright?"  
  
"He left in an ambulance about 10 minutes ago. He was pinned under heavy debris. It took us some time, but we got him out." Wayne continued.  
  
"He's alive, right?" Andy pressed.  
  
"Yea. He was when we got him out." Wayne tried to be positive but his frown gave him away.  
  
"How bad is it?" Andy asked with skepticism. Seeing Wayne's grim expression. "Please, I need to know."  
  
"Well, I'm no doctor but it looked pretty bad." Wayne kept it short. No need to go into details.  
  
"What kind of injuries?" Andy pushed on. "Tell me the truth. I'm a doctor. I can handle it."  
  
"Trauma to the head, deep laceration on the arm, possible spinal injury, broken ribs." Wayne replied after a moment of hesitation. "Honestly, it doesn't look good. The kid was spitting up blood last I saw. See, this?" Wayne showed the bloody cloth to Andy. "It's the kid's blood."  
  
"Oh my God." Andy said under his breath. "I-I have to go." Andy stuttered.  
  
"Look, he's hung on this far. The kid's a fighter." Wayne comforted. "He asked for you."  
  
"Thanks." Andy sobbed into the palm of his hand. "I really got to go." He turned away and headed for his car.  
  
"You gonna be alright?" Wayne called. Andy didn't turn around. He wasn't alright. He was never going to be alright.  
  
Stepping hard on the gas pedal, he drove at top speed to the hospital as hot tears blurred his vision. The night was pitch black. His car's headlights and an occasional lamppost along the road were the only forms of light guiding his way. He knew how dangerous it was to drive while bawling his eyes out but he couldn't control it anymore. His son was lying somewhere alone on the brink of death and he wasn't able to help him. He sobbed.  
  
* end of chapter 5 * 


	6. Last Conversation

Chapter 6: Last Conversation  
  
Glad to have safely landed at Denver International Airport, Ephram thanked his lucky stars as he set foot out of the arriving gate. He breathed a sigh of relief. The airport personnel directed all the traffic to baggage claim. With backpack in tow, Ephram strolled pass the revolving baggage conveyor belts and headed towards the exit.  
  
He sniffed the cool crisp Colorado air as he stepped onto the curb. The sun had set behind the mountains and a brisk wind developed. He looked at the sky and figured he'd be home in time for David Letterman. The empty feeling in his stomach made him realize how hungry he was. After all, he was a growing boy. At this rate, even his father's repugnant cuisine sounded appetizing - as long as it was halfway edible.  
  
While waiting for the shuttle bus to the bus terminal, he bought a Snapple and a pack of Twinkies from the vending machines. He sat on the bench ravenously devouring his snack. For some reason, he never remembered Twinkies ever tasted so good. But food always seemed to taste extra good when you're famished. He crammed the last piece of Twinkie into his mouth and washed it down with the remaining swig of Snapple. He watched the white shuttle bus roll into the station.  
  
The shuttle bus was packed with travelers. Ephram stood the whole way. He observed his fellow riding companions and mentally guessed their destinations. Some of them had full luggage including skis and snow gear. No doubt they were vacationers headed to the Aspens. There were some business types clinging onto their expensive attaché cases looking strikingly professional. They were headed to Denver Metro area. Then there were those aimless people with blank and lost looks on their faces. Those were obviously the residents of some nearby town. Ephram chuckled to himself.  
  
The shuttle dropped them off in front of the Denver Bus Terminal. Andy had offered to pick him up in Denver but he refused. He wanted independence and opt to take the bus back to Everwood. Naturally, Andy worried about Ephram traveling by himself after dark. But Ephram reminded him that he wasn't dealing with New York, this was Everwood. There is no crime here. Finally, after continuous nagging, Ephram persuaded Andy to pick just him up at The Everwood Bus Depot. This way, Andy didn't have to drive four hours to Denver.  
  
Ephram climbed up the steps aboard the Everwood bound bus. It was the oldest rickety bus he'd ever seen. And he thought the Greyhounds were bad. Those were luxury compared to this. The windows were grimy. It was a surprise you can even see thru them. The metal bolts holding the bus together were orange with rust and the brown foamy seats had an old moldy smell. He moved to the back of the bus and took a window seat. He dared not put his backpack in the overhead compartment. God only knows what was spawning in there. His backpack sat in the empty seat next to him.  
  
Once a few more people entered the bus, the bus driver started the ignition. The engine sounded like a sick cow. Ephram wondered how this bus ever passed inspection. He looked around and noticed only a handful of people were headed to Everwood. He couldn't imagine anyone actually having a burning desire to visit Everwood - the land of the zombies. As the bus made its way onto Interstate 70 South, Ephram whipped out his cell phone and dialed his father's cell number.  
  
"Hello?" His father picked up on the second ring.  
  
"Hey dad! Guess who!" Ephram said.  
  
"Ah! It's my favorite son!" Andy humored.  
  
"Of course I'm your favorite son. You don't have a choice since I'm your ONLY son." Ephram laughed.  
  
"Where are you?" Andy asked.  
  
"I'm on the bus." Ephram answered. "And I'm starving. I hope you have something to eat in the house, cause if you don't, I'm going to eat Delia." Ephram said in jest.  
  
"Hey. Don't joke about your sister like that." Andy was glad to hear Ephram's voice. "But don't worry, there's food. And the best part is - I didn't cook it. Nina knew you were getting back today so she made baked ziti and scalloped potatoes."  
  
"Mmm sounds good." Ephram said licking his lips. "All I have is half a pack of M&M's to keep me going until then. So, did you miss me?"  
  
"Yea, it's way too quiet around here. I missed arguing with you. Ha." Andy chuckled. "No, seriously, I really did miss you a lot. Can't wait to see you."  
  
"What time you picking me up at the Depot?"  
  
"I'm already at the Depot."  
  
"What? Don't you know I won't be there for another three hours?!"  
  
"I know. But I'm just anxious to see you."  
  
"Hope you brought something to read. Is Delia with you?"  
  
"No, she's at Nina's. Delia wanted to come but Nina and Sam were making ice cream sundaes, so she couldn't resist."  
  
"What?! She chose ice cream over me. My feelings are hurt now." Ephram pouted.  
  
"Well, you'll get over it. She's creating a sundae for you as we speak."  
  
"Aw, I knew she had a heart of gold." Ephram said.  
  
"Are you kidding? Delia loves her brother."  
  
"Damn!" Ephram swore as the bus flew over a pothole and jerked on the brakes making every inch of the bus rattle.  
  
"What is it?" Andy questioned. "Hello?"  
  
"Yea, I'm here. I just slammed my face against the seat in front of me. This moron bus is going to friggin' fall apart. I swear, of all the buses, I get stuck with riding in this stupid shit box." Ephram rambled while rubbing his nose.  
  
"Always the dramatic one." Andy sighed. "Watch your tongue. I don't appreciate the cussing."  
  
"Sorry. I forget we're not in New York anymore. I need a censor bleep every time I open my mouth now. God forbid I should say a major faux pas in front of all those innocents that live in Leave-It-To-Beaver-Ville." Ephram said.  
  
"Speaking of New York, did you bring it?" Andy asked.  
  
"Yes, dad. It's in my backpack. I know how much you ached for a Bagel Boy bagel. I got them this morning. Fresh. Wait until you sink your teeth into these babies. Nothing beats a New York bagel."  
  
"You're the best!"  
  
"Yea, I know."  
  
Ephram enjoyed talking to his father even though he got a kick out of purposely being the bee in his bonnet. They talked about New York and Ephram's grandparents. This was the first decent conversation they've ever had. Both Andy and Ephram knew it was a breakthrough. Even though they would be seeing each other shortly, neither of them wanted to get off the phone. Perhaps it was a sign. God wouldn't be cruel enough to split them apart without one last conversation.  
  
"Can't wait to get home." Ephram yawned.  
  
"I thought you hated coming back to Everwood." Andy asked.  
  
"Hate is a strong word. I don't hate Everwood. You know dad, I've been thinking. I wanted to say." Ephram hesitated. He wanted to get something off his chest.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I wanted to say that I may dislike Everwood but I have reason to come back. The reasons are you and Delia." Ephram loathed touchy-feely situations but it was easier to say it over the phone rather than face to face. At least this way, he couldn't breakdown into a puddle of tears in front of his father. "Just - sorry for being such a pain-in-the-a- I mean elbow, for the past year." He caught himself before saying another "bad word."  
  
"Ephram." Andy hadn't expected this at all. It was so unlike Ephram to say things of that nature. "No, you weren't a pain."  
  
"Yes. I was. I did things just to spite you. You know that. But I didn't mean to. I never meant to hurt you." Hell, he was never good with words.  
  
"I love you too." Andy said. He understood where his son was going with this.  
  
"Dido." Ephram smiled. He felt warm inside. Another jolt of the bus shook the interior as it hit a turn. The metal pieces vibrated violently against each other and for a minute, Ephram really thought the bolts holding the bus together were going to bounce off the sides. "Oh Lord." Ephram groaned.  
  
"You ok?"  
  
"Don't know how much more I can take of this bus. I don't think this bus has brakes. It's going like 80 miles an hour. And every time it hits a turn, I think the whole thing is gonna flip over."  
  
"Hang in there. You still on the I70?"  
  
"Yea, we just hit the exit for Route 5." Ephram squinted out the window at the passing signs.  
  
"So that means another two hours or so." Andy calculated. "You want to tell me why you're so chipper today?"  
  
"Nothing." Ephram started. "Well, I met a girl." He admitted with a grin.  
  
"Aha! I knew it!! I knew there was a girl involved. Where'd you meet her? In New York?"  
  
"No, at the airport in Milwaukee. But she's from New York. She was on a connecting flight to Kansas City. Visiting an aunt."  
  
"So, you like her?" Andy pried.  
  
"She's cool." Ephram said casually. He was glad his father wasn't there to see his wide grin. "We exchanged phone numbers. And get this, not only has she heard of Everwood, she's actually been to Everwood!!! She was just passing thru but still!"  
  
"Yea, you like her." Andy teased.  
  
"She says I'm intriguingly cryptic!! No one's ever said that about me."  
  
"Geez, I could've told you that." Andy retorted humorously. "OK, what was your pick up line?"  
  
"There was no pick up line. We talked about Kafka."  
  
"Excuse me? Did you say Kafka?" Andy cut off in surprise. "As in Franz Kafka, the author?"  
  
"No, I'm talking about Kafka the rock band." Ephram shot back. "Of course I'm talking about the author!"  
  
"I'm impressed Ephram. Wow. I didn't think you were into that stuff."  
  
"Ah dad, I'm not as mindless as you think. She was reading The Metamorphosis and we started discussing it. One thing led to another and we found out we had stuff in common. She's real smart." Ephram said. "But I owe it all to Mrs. Connor's English class. Thank God I paid attention when we read that book." He giggled.  
  
"Ephram, Ephram, Ephram. I always had a hunch you went for the brainy type. So, does this girl have a name? And when do I get to meet her?" He joked.  
  
"Her name's Jewels. It's short for Juliana. And not a chance in hell are you ever going to meet her."  
  
"Do I really cramp your style that badly?" Andy humored.  
  
"Yes, you do." Ephram replied. "Last thing I need is for you to flash her with my naked baby pictures."  
  
"C'mon, I never do that! You are so paranoid." Andy laughed. "Is Jewels cute?"  
  
"Da-ad! I'm not talking about this anymore." Ephram blushed.  
  
As the conversation was getting more interesting, a loud bang was heard somewhere in the rear which sent the bus swiveling from side to side throwing the passengers around like sacks of grain. A few people shrieked. Ephram's shoulder hit the side window and almost dropped his phone. He yelped in pain.  
  
"Hello? Ephram? You there?" Andy grew concerned.  
  
"Oh my God!! Dad, something's wrong with the bus!!" Ephram cried. "Oh God!!"  
  
"Calm down. Tell me what's happened." Andy said gravely.  
  
"I think a tire blew. We're losing control." Ephram screamed. Another thud and the cell phone went flying out of his hand. He got out of his seat and searched for the phone on his hands and knees.  
  
"Ephram? Ephram??" Andy yelled into the phone. Ephram found the phone nestled between someone's purse and a shoe.  
  
"Dad?" Ephram said into the phone. He was still crouched on the aisle of the bus.  
  
"Ephram! Are you alright?"  
  
"I'm ok. I dropped the phone." He panted. "Dad, the bus is not stopping!!!!!" He said almost in tears. 'What are we going to do?!"  
  
"Are you in your seat?" Andy asked anxiously.  
  
"No, I'm in the aisle." He stood up in the aisle.  
  
"Go back to your seat and hold on."  
  
"Holy shit!!!! We're gonna go over the ridge!!" He shouted. Horror froze all his limbs as the bus whirled around and saw the direction the vehicle was heading.  
  
"Ephram!!!! What's going on????" Andy hollered into the phone. "Ephram???"  
  
"Dad!" Ephram sobbed. "I love you dad. I love y-." He never got to finish his sentence.  
  
The bus driver slammed onto the brakes and maneuvered the bus to stay on the road. Every one in the bus lost their footing. Objects and people bounced around the interior like snow inside a snow globe when shook. Unfortunately with all the weight shifting to the side, the bus lost its balance, did a side wheelie and toppled over. Because of the velocity, it pivoted noisily across the road with the loud screeching of metal. Crashing thru the metal barrier, the whole bus was sent over the edge of the cliff. Bus parts flew off and scattered around the area. The bus tumbled down the slanting hill and eventually came to a stop as it hit the thick foliage. All that was left of the bus was a giant deformed scrap of metal. There was silence in the wreckage.  
  
"Ephram?! Hello????" Andy screamed on the top of his lungs into his phone. His blood went cold as he heard nothing but static. He redialed Ephram's phone three times getting the same message that "the number he was trying to reach had been disabled." He frantically dialed 911 for help as he ran out of the Everwood Bus Depot. With his heart pounding in his mouth, he hurried to his car and drove in the direction of Route 5.  
  
* end of chapter 6 * 


	7. Hanging On By A Thread

Chapter 7: Hanging On By A Thread  
  
"You may go in and see him now." The nurse addressed Dr. Brown when she stepped into the waiting room. "Come this way."  
  
"Thanks." Andy he said to the nurse. He released Nina's hand and stood up. "Watch Delia for me?" He nodded to his sleeping daughter on the couch.  
  
"Yea. Go." Nina told him. "I'll be here if you need me." Andy exited the room with the nurse.  
  
Dawn was breaking and Andy had been waiting all night for word on his son. All he had known was that Ephram was brought directly to X-Ray, CT and MRI when they arrived. Emergency surgery was needed. Though, no one had answers for Andy. No, there weren't any updates on his son's current condition. No, it wasn't certain if the kid was going to make it. No, he was not conscious when they wheeled him in. Andy had nearly broken the hospital doors when he flew into the building in desperate search for his son. For the first time in his life, he was lost in a hospital. He looked in all directions and had no idea which way to go first. Being a doctor, the hospital was familiar territory - a place he'd been to millions of times. He knew the grounds as well as every crawl space. But that knowledge and memory completely vanished. All he cared about was Ephram.  
  
As he followed the nurse to ICU, an eerie feeling crept up in him. Why did he feel so hesitant to see his son all of a sudden? For the passed five plus hours, all he wanted was to see his son. And now, they finally granted him that wish. Why was he so afraid? Was it because he was afraid to see his son all banged up? Or was it because he feared seeing him this way would make him break down?  
  
"He's in this room." The nurse stopped at room 305. Andy took a deep breath before turning the doorknob.  
  
It was hard but Andy refrained himself from sobbing when he saw his unconscious son. He was jittery and his hands couldn't stop shaking as he approached the bed. Ephram's entire head was wrapped in white gauze. There was a large bumpy pad on the side of his head beneath the gauze bandage. His left arm was bandaged tightly as was his chest. A clear plastic mouthpiece from the ventilator was taped securely to his mouth. Andy watched Ephram's chest inflate as the machine squeezed air into his frail body. Electrodes were fastened to his chest and temples to register vital activity on the machines by his bed. It was a mess of twisted multi colored wires. Ephram's body was hooked up what seems to be a hundred different machines. It was hard to believe that all these machines were the only things that kept him alive.  
  
Andy burst into tears upon the heart-wrenching sight. He put his hand in his mouth to stifle the sobs. Ephram's waxy purplish eyelids contrasted with his chalky face. The cut on his pallid lips had clot into a blackish red color. Andy ventured closer to his son. Ephram looked so small and fragile that Andy was afraid to touch him fearing he might crumble to pieces.  
  
Ephram survived the near fatal bus accident. Aside from a traumatic head injury, fractured ribs, punctured lung, he suffered a spinal contusion in his lower back. In a nutshell, the extent of his injuries was something awful. And just because there were no complications with the surgeries, doesn't automatically mean he was going to recover. His life can still be taken away at any given moment. Andy was thankful Ephram's spinal cord was only bruised and not severed. The paralysis in Ephram's legs would be temporary - if he wakes. He gently stroked his son's hand.  
  
- Talk to him. Even though he's unconscious, he can really hear you - Andy remember saying that line to patient's families numerous times. The tables were now turned and he was the one telling himself that very line. He didn't know where or how to begin. He couldn't bring himself to talking to someone whose remaining life force was completely reliant on machinery. No matter what he said, Ephram wasn't going to respond back. He watched Ephram for a long time before uttering a word.  
  
"Ephram." He began slowly. "Looks like you got yourself into a tight jam here, huh? But don't you worry. I'm right by your side. Hang in there, buddy. It's not time for you to go. We still have so much to learn from each other. Besides, you haven't even told me enough about Jewels yet." He tried to laugh but it only ended up in tears.  
  
"Baby, please be ok. Please." Andy whimpered. "Fight it Ephram. Don't die. Can you even hear me?" Ephram didn't even budge. He lay there motionless with air sporadically pumping into his lungs.  
  
A fit of unexplainable anger swept him. "Why are you doing this to me Ephram? How could you put me thru this again? Haven't I gone thru enough grief?? I'm in such pain - you can't do this to me. It's all your fault." He growled and let go of his son's hand. He turned his back on Ephram. Tears brimmed in his eyes and his broad shoulders shook with each sob.  
  
"No. It's not your fault." He finally murmured as he faced his son again. "It's not your fault." His lips quivered. "It was never your fault." He took Ephram's hand again. "I just want you back. Please."  
  
It was too agonizing to see his son this way. He needed air. He needed to get out of there. Andy leaned against the door outside of room 305 for a while to calm down and gather his thoughts. He eventually walked back to the waiting area with hands jammed into his jeans pockets.  
  
"What's wrong?" Andy asked Nina upon seeing Delia awake and bawling hysterically. Nina had her arm over Delia trying to comfort her but it was not helping.  
  
"I don't know. She won't tell me. I think she's worried about Ephram." Nina said. "She's been crying like this for a while now."  
  
"Honey, tell daddy what's the matter." Andy said taking Delia into his arms. "Are you worried about Ephram? Is that why you're crying?" She shook her head. "No? Then tell me what. It helps to let me know your feelings.."  
  
"You'll hate me." She blubbered as she gazed into her father's eyes.  
  
"I can never hate you sweetheart!"  
  
"Promise you won't?"  
  
"Promise." Andy kissed her hair.  
  
"I picked ice cream. I didn't pick Ephram. That means I didn't love him. If I went with you to pick him up instead of wanting to eat ice cream, he would've been ok. He wouldn't be hurt." She wailed.  
  
"What?! I can't believe what I'm hearing!! Delia, you have nothing to do with this!" Andy was appalled. "Ephram would've been in that accident whether or not you came with me to pick him up. It was not something you could control."  
  
"He must hate me." She said thru blinding tears.  
  
"Honey, how could you say that?!" Andy exclaimed in shock. "He completely adores you. He loves you more than you know. In fact, I was on the phone when he was on the bus and he told me he loved you and didn't mind that you were at Nina's eating ice cream."  
  
"Really?" She said after a brief pause.  
  
"I wouldn't lie to you." Andy pulled Delia into a hug.  
  
"I love him so much."  
  
"I know. Me too."  
  
"Is he going to be alright?" She sobbed.  
  
"I don't know. I wish I had an answer. But Ephram is strong and the worse part is over."  
  
"I want him to be ok." Delia hugged her father tighter.  
  
"Yea. So do I." Andy said. "Don't cry, ok? Crying is contagious. You're going to make me start crying again if you don't stop." Delia heaved a sigh and quit crying.  
  
"I want to see him now." She said.  
  
"You sure? He looks bad right now. It might scare you." Andy questioned. He didn't want Delia to be exposed to the horror of seeing her brother in his current state.  
  
"Yes. I'm sure. I won't be scared. I can't be scared of my own brother." She said seriously. She was the bravest little 8 year old girl Andy had ever known. And he was proud that she was stronger than him.  
  
They walked hand in hand down the hall to room 305.  
  
* end of chapter 7 * 


	8. Epilogue: Eight Weeks After Recovery

Epilogue: Eight Weeks After Recovery  
  
Andy walked into the house and found Nina putting the finishing touches on her turkey noodle casserole before placing it into the oven.  
  
"Hey! Looks delicious!" Andy smacked his lips while observing what's for dinner. "Where is everybody?"  
  
"Sam and Delia are playing video games in her room. And the prince is on the couch over there. You will never guess what he's doing. Unbelievable." Nina flashed a smile showing her pearly whites.  
  
"Why? What's he doing?" Andy asked curiously.  
  
"He's reading!!" Nina whispered as they perched behind the kitchen counter like a couple of deep gossipers.  
  
"No kidding?" Andy whispered back as they stared at the back of Ephram's head.  
  
"He just sits there all day with his nose buried in that book. I ask him if he wants to go out or take a nap or watch TV. I mean, school doesn't begin in another 2 and a half weeks. I tell him to go do something fun before the summer's up. But he doesn't want to do anything but read. Isn't it amazing?"  
  
"Wow. The Ephram I know hated to read. This is very interesting indeed." He scratched his beard. "Is he better?"  
  
"Yea, getting there. He still complains about soreness and an occasional headache."  
  
"Let me go bother him."  
  
Shortly after awaking in the hospital, Ephram was unable to feel his legs for two days. It frightened him. He cried and cried thinking that he will never be able to walk again. But as luck would have it, his motor functions gradually returned. Before long, he was able to wiggle his toes and bend his knees. The pain caused by inflammation and bleeding from blood vessels near the contusion was excruciating. The medication helped but there were days when it just hurt too much to even move a muscle.  
  
When he got stronger, he was forced to walk around his hospital room - first with crutches, then without. It was debilitating. He fell a few times but it was all part of the recovery process. They released him when he was able to walk down a hall by himself without falling. Ephram thought he was slower than a snail but nonetheless, he did it.  
  
"Ephram. How about we get out of the house and go take a walk around the block before dinner? It's a beautiful day." Andy said.  
  
"Go out? In a wheelchair and crutches to have all the neighbors fawning over me like I was some cute poor injured puppy? I don't think so." Ephram book-marked his page and adjusted the pillow he was leaning up against.  
  
"You know you're supposed to work those legs. You can't sit here all day."  
  
"I did walk today. If you don't believe me ask Nina. She's my witness." He challenged.  
  
"Yea, he walked to the bathroom and walked back to the couch." Nina input. Andy shot a disappointed look at Ephram.  
  
"Alright. I'll walk IN the house after I finish this chapter, ok?" He sighed.  
  
"Buddy, you feeling ok?" Andy said placing a hand over Ephram's forehead. "Nina says you've become a bookworm. This is so unlike you." He joked.  
  
"Very funny dad. Very funny. You should quit your day job and become a stand-up comic. Everwood needs one of those." Ephram rolled his eyes.  
  
"So, what's with all the reading?"  
  
"What is so strange about me reading!? Everyone acts like I've totally flipped my lid. When I goof off, you yell at me. When I start doing something intellectual like reading, you yell at me. It's a no win situation, isn't it?" Ephram boasted. "Reading is just a new hobby that Jewels help me find."  
  
"Aha!!! Jewels got you into reading. Well, I'm glad you're beefing up on your literary insights. Good. Girls like guys who like what they like - you know? So, you guys discuss the book after you read it?" Andy questioned. Ephram nodded shyly.  
  
"We talk about it after every few chapters." He admitted.  
  
"So, you got your own personal book club going there."  
  
"Don't make fun of me. I'm not a dork. It's actually enjoyable."  
  
"No, I think it's great! What are you reading now?"  
  
"Victor Hugo's Les Miserables." Ephram showed the thick book to his father. "We decided we liked reading about people whose situations are way more miserable than ours. It makes us feel better. Haha." Ephram laughed.  
  
"Ah, getting your kicks at the expense of other people's misery. I knew I raised my son up right." Andy mused. "So, come on. Get off your butt and show me some walking. You can finish your chapter later."  
  
"Da-ad.I don't want to. I'll fall." He whined.  
  
"You won't." Andy pulled him up from his seat. Ephram walked to the den and back into the living room. He circled the couch once.  
  
Delia came skipping into the living room with Sam trotting not too far behind.  
  
"Ephram! You're walking." She squealed in delight. "Do you want to hold my hand?"  
  
"No Delia, not this time. He's got to do this himself." Andy said. Ephram ignored the soreness and tingling in his legs and concentrated on walking further. He walked around the living room several more times. Sweat was starting to bead on his forehead.  
  
Just as he walked to his father, his legs became rubbery and stumbled forward. Andy caught him before he fell and supported him back to the couch. Delia sat next to her brother and Sam copied her. Ephram was exhausted from the workout.  
  
"Satisfied?" Ephram puffed. "Now my legs feel like jellyfish."  
  
"OK - we'll call it a day. You've had enough exercise."  
  
"You think my legs will be back to normal by the holidays?"  
  
"If you keep working them you will. Why? Where are you going?" He humored.  
  
"I dunno, maybe we can take a family trip back to New York.." He hinted.  
  
"It has to do with a girl." Andy explained to Nina who was setting the dinner table.  
  
"Doesn't it always?" Nina smiled.  
  
"We'll see what happens. Not making any promises." Andy said to Ephram as he massaged his son's leg. "That feel better?"  
  
"Yea. Much." Ephram stated. "Anyway, after that freak bus accident, I am never taking another bus ride again in my entire life. You'd have to drive us to the airport or get car service or something. Cause I think I've found my phobia."  
  
"Don't worry Eph, I'll protect you." Delia said sweetly and swung her arms around his waist.  
  
"I knew I could always count on you!" Ephram chuckled and accepted her hug.  
  
There always comes to a point in our lives when we're faced with life's meaningful challenges. Each challenge is a valuable lesson to be gained - a hurdle. There are twists and turns, trials and solace, blessings and grief. Life is cruel, beautiful, merciless, bounteous, compassionate and unforgiving. Sometimes, life in general can be overwhelming. Life can be viewed as a long and tiring obstacle course, an intricate and confusing maze, or a perplexing jigsaw puzzle. But I like to think of life as one mean son of a bitch roller coaster ride. It has its turbulent ups and downs. You never know when it will hit a pitfall or when it will rise to the apex. The only thing anyone should know is that life is a precious gift. The good must be taken with the bad. Things can never be too simple and flawless - it wouldn't be called life if it were that easy. Life is fragile and can be readily taken away at any time. Whether it'd be natural or extraneous causes, there is no telling when a life would come to an end. Live life to the fullest. Every day is a new beginning.  
  
~ End ~  
  
Footnote: Well, hope you've enjoyed my dabble. Since, you're reading this, I assuming it's safe to say that you've read the entire story. You've been a most patient audience and I humbly thank you! This story idea was actually conceived while I was on a plane ride to Milwaukee. Yes, I know - such gruesome thoughts get into my head when I'm flying. It's no wonder I don't freak myself out. Please let me know your thoughts! I love feedback!!!  
  
PS - I pretty much left this story open for continuation. I can think of several ways on how it can play out but I don't know... Do you think it needs a continuation? 


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